West Yolo Democratic Club hosts forum on "Creating Democracy and Challenging Corporate Rule"

The West Yolo Democratic Club will host a community forum on "Creating Democracy and Challenging Corporate Rule" with guest speaker David Cobb of the Move to Amend campaign. Part history lesson and part heart-felt call to action, the event will be at the Winters Opera House at 7p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. FEC opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections. Cobb, an attorney and National Leadership Member for Move to Amend, will help local residents understand the history behind the recent decision and how they can work to abolish "Corporate Personhood" and reestablish a government of, by, and for the people.

"Corporate Personhood" commonly refers to court-created precedent that gives corporations constitutional rights intended solely for human beings. "Corporate personhood is not an inconsequential legal technicality. The Supreme Court ruled that a corporation was a 'legal person' with 14th Amendment protections before they granted full personhood to African-Americans, immigrants, natives, or women," states Cobb, who served as the Green Party's presidential candidate in 2004.

"We are inspired by historic social movements that recognized the necessity of altering fundamental power relationships," said Cobb. "America has progressed through ordinary people joining together-from the Revolutionaries to Abolitionists, Suffragists, Trade Unionists, and Civil Rights activists through to today. Move to Amend is a long-term effort to make the U.S. Constitution more democratic."

The forum will focus on how local residents can join the national movement against Corporate Personhood. Cobb will provide information about the issue and facilitate a discussion about local action in Yolo County and in communities across the United States to win the amendment campaign through grassroots mobilization. "We are a diverse coalition with deep roots in communities nationwide. We recognize that amending the Constitution to restore the power of the people over corporations will not be easy, but we know correcting the Supreme Court is imperative to the progress of our nation," stated Cobb.

Over 315,000 people have signed an online petition supporting a constitutional amendment at www.MoveToAmend.org.

The local forum will take place on November 12 at 7p.m. in the Winters Opera House, located at 13 Main St., Winters. For more information call Keyan Bliss at (707) 269-0984.